Automatically-acting lixiviation apparatus



May 29, QZB,

G. HAGLUND AUTOMATICALLY ACTING LIXIYIATION APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lFiled Feb. 16. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 29, 1923.

G. HAGLUND AUTMATIGALLY ACTING LIXIVIATION APPARATUS Filed Feb. 16 1922lIl l til Fatented May 29, EQQS..

htdtt arrasar etnica.

GUSTAF EAGLUND, 0F FALUN, SWEDEN.

LUTOBTICALLY-CTING LIXWIATION AFPRTUS.

Application led February 16, 1922. Serial No. 537,194.

To all 'whom t may. concern.'

Be it known that I, GUSTAF HAGLUND, citizen of Sweden, residing atFalun, Sweden, have invented certain new and useful 1mprovements inAutomaticallyActing Lixiviation Apparatus, of whlch the following is aspecication.

The object of the present invention is to provide an automaticallyoperating lixiviation apparatus, es ecially for ores. The same consistsof a p urality of coacting horizontally located rotary c linders ordrums, each of which is equi perl7 with a feed opening and a transportdevice for carrying the material to be lixiviated in a certain directionas well as a further transport device for carrying the liquid in theopposite direction.

The essential features of the invention are, that both transport devicesare located at the end of the drum lying remote or opposite to the feedopening and that they consist of two spiral elevators, the one of whichcatches lixiviation material mixed with liquid from the interior ofthedrum and transports this mass up to a conduit or the like, which issituated in the central part of the apparatus and opens outwardly, andserves for removing the treated mass, whereas the other transport devicereceives fluid from the outside and transports the same to anothercentrally arranged conduit, which has a lesser dlameter than the firstnamed conduit and opens inwardly, so as to lead the fluid into the drum.

Preferably the inlet openingin the spiral elevator for the lixiviationmass is equipped with a valve, by means of which the feed velocity ofthe mass may be controlled automatically.

A c onstructional form for the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a section through an apparatus in accordance with theinvention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line l-I of Fi re 1. f

igure 3 is a section on the line 11-11 of Fi vre 1. a

igure 4 is a front view of an automatic valve device arranged on thespiral elevator for the lixiviation mass.

Figure 5 is a section through the same dev1ce.

1 denotes the feed opening and-2 the lixiviation drum, which by means ofthe rings 3 may be rotated through suitable roller devices. Tn the endof the drum remote to the feed openin a cylindrical art 4 is arranged,whic has the same dlameter as the drum. This part is formed asa spiralelevator, which carries the lixiviation mass in the lower part of thedrum, as well as such fluid as mlght be at-hand in this place, up

through the spiral 9 and through the open.

ing 10 into the conduit 7, from which the mass is decanted into the nextdrum.

To the spiral elevator 4 and concentrically with the saine a cylindricalpart 5 is fixed, which also is formed as a spiral elevator. The latteris preferably of a lesser diameter but of a greater width than the part4. To the spira elevator 5 a cylinder is fastened which is of the samediameter but preferably of a lesser width than the elevator. Theoutwardly pointing opening of this cylinder has nturned edges. The saidcylinder is so dimensioned that `the feed opening of the next drum maypass into the same and has a sufficient play.

ln this cylinder the Huid is collected, which is decanted from therevious drum, and is transmitted to the spiral elevator 5, which bymeans of the spiral 11 carries the solution through the opening 12 inthe con duit 7 to the inner conduit 8, from which the fluid is emptiedinto the first drum.

The automatic valve device which, if desired, may be mounted upon theapparatus,

is shown on the Figures 4 and 5. The spiral elevator 4 is as will beseen on the said figures, equipped with a valve disc 15.. This has aninner guide 14, which in the shown example projects over substantiallythe half .height of the spiral opening. The disc 15 has an opening,which is of the same size as the opening between the-guide 14 and thewall of the elevator. 16 is an outer guide for the valve disc. Thisguide is preferably equipped with paokings to prevent leakage around thedisc 15. 17 is a preferably adjustable spring device, which presses thedisc outward, so that the opening in the elevator n spiral canals in theelevators are filled with an acid-resisting material in order tostabilize the spirals. The material in these and in all other partscoming into contact with the liquid must-of course also be built up fromresistive material or coated with such. i

The apparatus operates in the following manner:

Assuming that a plurality of drums are arranged as shown in Figure 1 androtated, the mass which is fed into the first drum, and which is to belixiviated under continuous mixing with the liquid, will follow thebottom of the drum and together with the duid be caught by the spiralelevator 4, by which the mass through the conduit 7 is conducted intothe next attached drum. 1n this the mass will meet a more diluted Huidor solution, which will lixiviate the material and .dilute the Huidaccompanying the same. The arrows shown in full lines in the drawing`indicate the way which the material and fthe fluid will follow. Thediluted solution which is coming from the attached drum will follow theWay indicated with dotted arrows, from the cylinder 6 through the spiralelevator 5 it is conducted up into the conduit 8, the bottom of w-hichis situated higher than the bottomof the feed opening. From the conduit8 the solution flows/into the drum, where it is mixed with the mass,which thereby is lixiviated and with the liquid at hand, which isdiluted, whereupon the said solution dows out through the feed openingand eventually into a further drum.

The manner of operation of the automatic valve is as follows:

@ver the greater part of a revolution the y valve disc is pressedoutward by means of v, elevator.

the spring 17, whereby the opening in the elevator is kept closed. Whenhowever, the valve is passing over thel controlling rail 18 the discwill on account of the form of the rail be pressed inward and at apredetermined point produce a full opening in the By means of thisarrangement it is possible to keep the inlet opening of the elevatorautomatically closed when the elevator passes through the Huid in thedrum and to automatically open the inlet opening when the elevator ispassing through the lixiviation mass proper.

Thus the filling of the elevator with liquid before it submerges intothe material to be siderably by means of the valve arrangement.

As will be understood it is possible to coupley together as many drumsas desired,

which may operate in series. The material to be lixiviated is fedcontinually into the first drum, passes automatically through the entirearrangement and leaves the last drum in completely prepared state.Diluted solutions and such which ydo not have a sufficient grade ofconcentration, are conducted into the last drum and leave the first drumin a saturated state.

All drums are arranged on. the same level.

The feeding may be increased by increasing the velocity of rotation.Further the feeding and the rotation may be adjusted, in accordance Withthe nature of the material. If desired also additional amounts of liquidmay be introduced into each drum separately. l

lf necessary heating' elements may be arranged in the part of theapparatus through which the liquid is let in, so that the same may beheated.

The constructional details of the arrangement may of course be varied inseveral ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to 4be performed, I declarethat what ll claim is:

1. Automatically operating lixiviation apparatus consisting of aplurality of coacting horizontally disposed rotary drums each of whichisprovided with a feed opening, a transport device associated with eachdrum for carrying material to belixiviated in a certain direction,another transport device associated with each drum for carrying theliquid in an opposite direction, both transport devices being located atthe end of the drum opposite the feed opening and consisting of twospiral elevators, one of the transport devices receiving lixiviationmaterial mixed with liquid from the interior of the` drum, a conduit-situated in thc central part of the apparatus to which the said mass 1stransported and the conduit opening out`y wardly and. serving to removethe treated mass, the other transport device receiving fluid from theoutside. another centrally arranged conduit receivingfluid from thesecond mentioned transport device and havin a smaller 'diameter than thefirst mentioned conduit and opening inwardly so as to return the fluidto the drum.

2. Lixiviation apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein an acid-resistingmaterial is arranged in the intermediate space between the spiral canalsof the elevator in order to stabilize the same.

3. Lixiviation apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a valve ismounted at the inlet opening of the spiral elevator for automatically'regulating the feeding of the material. 4

Meeee Q 4L Lixiviation apparatus as claimed in substantially es and forthe purposes set claim l wherein a, spring-actuated vulve is' forth.arranged through the wall of the drum and In testimony whereof I aiix mysignature located at the inlet opening of the spiral elein presence oftwo Witnesses.

5 vater and a control device located outside the GUS'IAFHGUUND drum forcompletely or partly closing the Witnesses: l inlet opening of thespiral elevator dui'- Nm LUNE,

ing a par@ of the revolution of the drum, Nms ENGSTRM.

